[0:09] >> Good afternoon, everybody.
Welcome to the 8/24/2026
[0:16] billing City Council regular
business meeting.
[0:19] It's a great day in the city of
Billings. And I'm glad you're
[0:23] all here.
[0:24] Just a quick reminder. This is
the last City Council meeting
[0:27] of the month. So for those of
you who come here every Monday
[0:31] don't bother because we won't
be here.
[0:36] Would you all please rise for
the pledge of allegiance.
[0:44] I do.
[0:45] >> That lag.
[0:47] It's a fact.
[0:49] I which is an.
[0:58] >> Seating
[0:59] Mister putin
[1:01] states standing, please.
[1:04] >> Gracious God as we gather
here tonight, we ask for your
[1:08] divine guidance as we represent
the people of our community
[1:12] protect us.
[1:14] Watch over all of those who
serve us from our first
[1:17] responders to the last
responders
[1:20] gracious God give a short
piece.
[1:23] Help us to mourn the loss of
life that has occurred in our
[1:25] community
[1:27] and be with the family. The
Friends of those who mourn
[1:29] these losses
[1:32] may their souls and the souls
of all the departed through the
[1:34] mercy of God. Rest in peace.
[1:38] You may be seated.
[1:50] >> This bone. Would you call
the roll.
[1:52] >> Yes, mayor
[1:54] councilmember Shaw here
Nicholson president neas
[1:58] president and then air. Gary,
you're a Kennedy
[2:02] has been lighter
[2:04] Langley air plant.
[2:06] But I do
[2:08] mayor Nelson.
[2:13] >> Alright Council. We have
minutes from the meeting of
[2:16] 8/10/2026,
[2:19] are there any changes
[2:23] then I entertain a motion to
accept the minutes
[2:27] Shaw.
[2:30] Mister nice. I move to approve
the minutes from August 10 to
[2:33] 2026
[2:35] Mister needs seconds.
[2:37] A discussion or debate about
that
[2:40] seeing none. Let's vote all
those in favor of accepting the
[2:43] minutes of 8/10/2026 please
indicate by saying aye aye.
[2:48] All those opposed say no.
[2:51] That is a unanimous vote
[2:54] Council courtesies
[2:58] this mayor.
[3:02] >> I would like to recognize
Murray's element.
[3:05] He was born August 30th and
1919 miles city, Montana.
[3:11] He was born of the time that
didn't enjoy the
[3:16] medical care that we have now.
His twin sister died at birth
[3:19] and his mother died 2 days
later
[3:22] through Mister or doctor
Hellman's career. He worked to
[3:27] correct part of that.
[3:28] He and his team developed over
40 vaccines, including 8 that
[3:33] appear on routine. Childhood
vaccinations is includes
[3:37] measles mumps hepatitis a
hepatitis B chickenpox by Syria
[3:42] manager. This kept a caucus to
mourn the eye office in one's.
[3:48] I personally remember having
both measles and mumps.
[3:52] I've seen people die of
hepatitis B,
[3:55] I remember when
[3:58] lumbar punctures spinal taps on
babies or something. Residents
[4:03] and training did almost every
night they were on call because
[4:08] children were suffering from
streptococcus pneumonia or
[4:11] marvelous influenza meningitis.
You don't have to see that.
[4:15] You know, it's often
[4:19] it's estimated that his work
with these vaccines continues
[4:23] to save a million lives a year.
[4:28] I would also like to point out
that
[4:31] riverstone health.
[4:33] It's having a walk-in
immunization clinic
[4:39] through Thursday, August 27th
09:00AM to 01:00PM and from
[4:45] 08:00AM to noon and
[4:50] 05:00PM.
[4:51] So take advantage of the work
of reason. Helmand.
[4:55] One of the Montana says saved
more lives than we can imagine.
[5:00] >> Thank you. Councilmember
Nicholson councilmember Aspen
[5:03] line.
[5:04] >> Yeah.
[5:07] Just wanted to thank our team,
the with police fire and the
[5:12] airport for all the work that
went into the air show.
[5:16] The show went off flawlessly.
I mean, it was a phenomenal of
[5:20] that. There was
[5:22] thousands and thousands of
people up there
[5:25] traffic moving in and out very
smoothly. The event ran great
[5:29] and
[5:31] the work that was going on
behind the scenes by our teams
[5:34] to support that show and to
make that show go
[5:37] was was pretty phenomenal and
and much appreciated by by me
[5:41] and the community
[5:44] nobody noticed and that's the
goal. But the airport team did
[5:49] a phenomenal job. And and the
PD and fire also in supporting
[5:53] and making sure that everybody
was safe and secure. And we had
[5:56] a great event for a community
that was that was phenomenal so
[6:00] kudos to to those 3 departments
and the team
[6:05] read about for our community
and it went off flawlessly.
[6:08] I I hope that they they come
back again.
[6:12] The courtesies.
[6:16] >> Thank you to the to you.
We have a proclamation as
[6:20] August 31st of this month is
[6:24] overdose awareness day.
[6:30] Whereas
[6:31] August. 31 is international
overdose. Awareness day.
[6:35] A global day to remember those
lost to overdose and support
[6:40] those left behind
[6:42] and whereas overdoses
preventable
[6:45] and every life lost represents
a family friends and the
[6:49] community for ever changed
[6:52] and whereas stigma remains one
of the greatest barriers to
[6:56] people seeking treatment and
recovery
[6:59] knowing that substance. It
[7:01] use disorder is a treatable
medical condition and recovery
[7:05] is possible.
[7:07] And whereas communities can
save lives
[7:10] by increasing awareness
[7:12] expanding access to treatment
supporting recovery and making
[7:16] overdose prevention resources
like
[7:19] the lack some widely available
[7:22] and whereas the city of
Billings recognizes the work of
[7:26] health care providers.
[7:28] First responders, peer support
specialists recovery
[7:32] organizations and community
partners working every day to
[7:36] prevent overdose deaths.
[7:39] And whereas overdose awareness.
Montana honors lives lost
[7:44] celebrates recovery and
inspires hope through
[7:47] education, remembrance and
community action.
[7:51] Now. Therefore, I Mike maze
Nelson. That's me. Mike Nelson,
[7:56] mayor of Billings do hereby
proclaim 8/31/2026 to be
[8:03] overdose awareness day
[8:06] in the city of Billings.
And I encourage all citizens to
[8:09] learn the signs of an overdose
[8:12] carry naloxone if appropriate
and support individuals and
[8:16] families affected by substance
abuse disorders with compassion
[8:21] rather than judgment
[8:23] together. We can reduce
overdose deaths and build a
[8:27] healthier,
[8:28] more compassionate community
where everyone has the
[8:31] opportunity to recover.
[8:34] So going to sign this
[8:36] proclamation now making it
official
[8:38] and we have a couple of folks
who would like to come forth
[8:41] and say a few words.
[8:52] >> Mayor Nelson deputy mayor
boy at thank you so much.
[8:56] Members of the City Council.
We truly appreciate you
[8:58] recognizing overdose awareness
day
[9:01] on August 31st. I am here with
the ladies who not only run but
[9:05] sounded overdose awareness day
Montana.
[9:08] Each one of us has suffered
something very personal to want
[9:11] to bring this to our community.
And this event to our
[9:15] community. Our mission is
simple. But incredibly
[9:18] important to raise awareness
about substance, use and
[9:20] overdose in our community to
offer support and hope to
[9:23] people struggling with
addiction and to honor without
[9:26] stigma or shame to people
who've lost their lives to drug
[9:29] load related deaths and the
families who continue to carry
[9:32] their grief.
[9:33] That last part matters behind
every overdoses. A person
[9:36] someone's child, someone's
parent. Someone sibling spouse
[9:40] friend co-worker neighbor.
Their life cannot and should
[9:43] not be reduced to the way they
died and not as well. Mission
[9:46] is simple important.
[9:48] I have Kim edinger who is the
CEO of overdose awareness.
[9:52] And Carol Keenan, who is the
co-founder of overdose
[9:55] awareness, Montana. We're very
grateful. I understand our
[9:58] event is held during regular
work session of City Council.
[10:01] So we likely won't see many of
you there, but we truly,
[10:04] truly appreciate your support
and was grateful for for the
[10:08] recognition us tonight.
[10:12] >> Would you like to come up
with the picture we would.
[10:15] And Judy may come on duty.
[10:42] >> Council member.
[10:44] 1, 2, 3, 2, 3,
[10:51] >> This
[11:13] are there any Council reports
[11:17] yesterday's budget meeting will
be this Wednesday at 09:00PM
[11:22] here in studio.
[11:23] He said again, I didn't hear
that.
[11:26] But the meeting will be here
Wednesday. This is a little bit
[11:28] low
[11:30] Wednesday here at City Hall.
9 o'clock, 9 o'clock, AM
[11:36] anything else. Anyone else.
[11:40] >> So the legislative
committee, Matt, we didn't have
[11:42] a qorum, but we are putting
together all of the priorities
[11:45] for the coming session. I
emailed out to the council.
[11:48] If you got a chance to look at
what our priorities and where
[11:51] we're at House money says only
one that I know has responded
[11:55] so far with some additions
possibly. But the sooner you
[11:58] can get it. We want to nail
this down so we can get
[12:00] something in for the council to
approve as a marching orders
[12:04] going forward. So thank you.
[12:06] >> Thank you, Mister quit
[12:08] and just a reminder. The
operations committee is meeting
[12:11] Thursday at 10 o'clock. There's
a 10 o'clock.
[12:18] >> Mister Flynn administrator
report. Thanks, mayor. And
[12:22] Council have a few things for
you tonight number want to do
[12:24] want to acknowledge that banana
ball is here in town this
[12:27] weekend and the business
speeding prior to this Council
[12:30] approved a some extra
additional met bus routes being
[12:33] paid for by the downtown urban
renewal district and we had
[12:37] over 1700. Right. So we're
taking advantage of during that
[12:41] free time and that time span
when those extra routes were
[12:44] added.
[12:45] I also want to announce and
went out this afternoon that
[12:48] Jennifer Robinette has been
selected as our new public
[12:51] works director and she will
start on October 1st. So she's
[12:54] excited to get here and get
involved in the public works
[12:58] department. And as the mayor
said, there is no meeting next
[13:02] Monday, August 31st as it is a
bye week.
[13:05] There is the strategic planning
survey that is out there.
[13:09] So council members have not
taken that. Please log on and
[13:13] take that and then Juliet would
really appreciate it. Have.
[13:16] We can get a council for road
on either October 12th through
[13:19] October 26. So if you could
respond or her on a date that
[13:23] would work there that would be
appreciative. And lastly,
[13:26] there's no ex parte
Communications received after
[13:29] 03:08PM, today for the mayor
and Council concerning items on
[13:32] the agenda tonight.
[13:34] >> Great. Thank, you know, move
to the public comment portion
[13:38] of our meeting. This will be
public comment on the agenda,
[13:41] on the agenda item. One only
[13:45] public comment on the agenda
item one. So if you're here to
[13:48] speak, please make sure you
signed in.
[13:51] Tell us your name and where you
live and take you 3 minutes.
[13:59] >> Good evening, mayor and City
Council members. My name is
[14:02] Jeff kettle Senate within the
5th Ward.
[14:05] Yes, this weekend was
absolutely wonderful.
[14:09] Our military definitely can put
on the show.
[14:12] Hope the next time they come.
They praying the stumps from 29
[14:16] palms, California
[14:18] here. That's a great show, too.
[14:22] Tonight. I'd like to speak
about one. Now
[14:26] it's calling for the public.
So ups storm and sewer revenue
[14:30] refunding bonds
[14:33] approximately 6 weeks ago.
Councilmember S and later told
[14:36] us that
[14:38] that
[14:41] system development, these and
we didn't have impact fees
[14:46] and he told us that
[14:48] councilmember nice was going to
look into
[14:51] impact fees for the site here.
Storm sewer revenue.
[14:56] It's $11.11 million dollar
bond.
[15:00] So I think you missed that
Mister has been minor.
[15:04] But I'm sure that councilmember
nice is working on it like he's
[15:07] been for the last 25 years.
[15:12] You see citizens
[15:15] here in Billings.
[15:16] It's controlled by the builders
developers,
[15:20] real estate companies,
infrastructure companies
[15:24] to not controlled by you.
These people don't represent
[15:27] you.
[15:29] That's who they represent.
[15:31] So
[15:32] take a look at one now, that's
11 million bucks
[15:37] that should be paid by impact
fees.
[15:40] But it's not
[15:41] because this body
[15:44] and previous bodies have made
the decision
[15:48] and his decision and is
[15:50] take your money,
[15:51] give it to people
[15:53] that you don't even know
[15:58] councilmember Nicholson
[16:01] a couple of meetings ago you
spoke about impact fees for the
[16:04] Fire Department and the Police
Department.
[16:09] I haven't heard anything about
that since then.
[16:12] So ask you tonight to stand up
and take take the bull by the
[16:16] rains.
[16:17] Maybe stand up for the
citizens.
[16:20] Maybe try and get it done
before another 11 million
[16:22] dollars comes before this board
[16:26] make the citizens pay for
[16:30] enough is enough.
[16:33] You see
[16:35] put a stop to that Angeles
[16:38] and was cast lighting of the
Citizens
[16:41] for the special interests,
people that you represent
[16:47] and a side note, I'm happy that
Mister Esper councilmember
[16:51] escalators being removed from
the budget Committee.
[16:54] Not sure that the one we're
guns any better.
[17:05] >> Any further public comment
[17:13] seeing none. We'll close that
part of the meeting and we will
[17:16] move to the consent agenda
[17:19] before us for separations.
Are there any
[17:23] questions? We are getting a
specific guidance.
[17:27] Mister nice,
[17:28] thank you, mayor. I did have a
question regarding one e
[17:33] I guess Evan, the rainiest at
Stratus is that individuals are
[17:38] as a person here. Her back is
coming. Okay.
[17:41] Mac. But as I look through
this, it looks like they they
[17:44] did quite a bit of work to get
the same prepared. And I was
[17:48] wondering if
[17:51] if the county actually went out
to like a third-party company
[17:55] to see if they were actually
maintain the street light
[17:57] instead of the city. You know,
if they did that and what that
[17:59] cost would have been.
[18:01] >> A council memories that I
don't know the answer.
[18:03] Actually.
[18:06] Yeah. I don't I don't know
that. Okay. It seems like they
[18:09] were going to support this at
our cost, which is below a
[18:13] $1700 a year to maintain that
light is fair. It seems pretty
[18:17] low to maintaining that light
for all year long and they're
[18:20] going to pay a lot of the
maintenance and the and
[18:22] whatever needs to be done.
[18:24] But it it just pulls our crew
outside the city
[18:29] and even in the bus. So when
they fire go out, the the pay a
[18:32] premium for that. So was there
any premium put into this for
[18:37] me confirmation or is it
strictly cost.
[18:40] >> Councilmember niece Marion
Council. A couple couple items
[18:43] there. There's there's kind of
2 pieces to that. We kind of
[18:45] looked at. I'm talking with our
student traffic. What's what's
[18:49] kind of the annual cost.
You have to do their bones to
[18:51] make sure the thing is
operation on that. That's kind
[18:54] of that 1700. Now that also
includes what I call a burden
[18:58] overhead. So that's labor costs
plus benefits, et cetera.
[19:03] So that's a
[19:04] and that that 0 cost and then
on top of that, let's say
[19:09] something happens out there.
We need to go fix something.
[19:12] Then there's a a sort of
unlimited plan to materials but
[19:16] think it's run into once a
week. We have to go fix
[19:18] something in. There's a time
and materials element in
[19:21] addition to the base cost.
[19:23] >> Okay. But those are at at
our city cost. Correct
[19:27] the city costs that would
include, you know, labor direct
[19:31] labor and see. I mean, this is
where it then I think this is
[19:35] where I think I'm going to
separate vote against this is
[19:37] because
[19:38] when we look at our our public
works Department and the
[19:42] and the the landfill, the
county residents are paying a
[19:47] premium 50% more
[19:49] when we look at the bus, but
they're paying a premium to
[19:52] have our Fire Department out
there and now they're asking us
[19:55] to have public works department
go out and work in County
[19:57] County, infrastructure. And I
think if they're going to do
[20:01] that, they need to pay a
premium. And so
[20:04] I appreciate the information.
I just want to see if I was
[20:06] going to be just cost or if it
was going to have a premium on
[20:09] it appears it's not having a
premium on it.
[20:12] And so I unless re one of the
less we can if illegal canned
[20:17] answer the question now, if we
can do a premium on this.
[20:20] This contract now or we can.
Those are just separated out
[20:25] and vote against it. So thank
you. Thank you.
[20:31] I was just going to respond to
that. We've been
[20:35] that partnership has been
around since the 90's that
[20:39] we've worked with the county
[20:41] on maintaining we also work on
the state,
[20:48] the
[20:50] signals and stuff on this on
the state areas to. So
[20:54] that's been around for a while.
[20:57] But that's not my comment.
Yeah. Okay. Thank you.
[21:03] On item, 2 on our item. One on
the words on optimist Park
[21:08] lighting project.
[21:10] Thank you for getting now going
that's very important
[21:14] and that will lighten up to the
park area. When will that be
[21:19] finished.
[21:22] >> Mayor and Council customer
Kennedy. It sent us to be
[21:24] finished next. Probably 60 to
60 to 80 days. Okay.
[21:30] So we can expect
[21:31] that the lights will be there
[21:33] by the time we start to get
dark
[21:36] whether to, OK, thank you.
[21:41] >> Any other questions Mister
o'dell.
[21:44] >> On item. I.
[21:48] >> I have a question about
that. General question
[21:52] represented by Laura. I don't
know of
[21:54] who would we represent? A cage
[21:59] is a Reed is a nation of the
Billings MPO and other changes.
[22:06] Is this in any way
[22:09] IM in ish the
[22:11] prior to the authority of this
Council. I yield to get to some
[22:16] other
[22:17] other
[22:18] regional organization.
[22:20] >> Thank you, mayor and Council
councilman o'donnell know it is
[22:23] not what it does is the policy
coordinating committee which
[22:27] this designate is still going
to be made up of the mayor.
[22:30] The county commissioner MDT to
make the final policy decision
[22:34] on MPO projects. However, the
MPO will still be just as
[22:38] active and involved with the
council and the county as we
[22:41] are now. When we bring projects
forward. So whatever the mayor
[22:43] brings forward for the MPO as
far as the City Council is
[22:46] concerned, it will have been
through City Council and
[22:50] discussed in given his
direction.
[22:54] >> All right. The questions
regarding the
[22:56] Mister Boyett them is shot and
Mister Nicholson,
[23:00] thank you, mayor. One J.
We always want to apply
[23:03] donations to the city
[23:05] in this case for the Billings
Police Department canine
[23:08] program. Their controls of
Billings probably read covid
[23:12] each empire heating and cooling
and Northwest pipe and fittings
[23:16] donated money for a total of
$2100. Thank you. Thank you.
[23:19] Thank you.
[23:22] Michaud says that's
[23:24] you stole her thunder, Mister
where it. All right. The doctor
[23:27] Nicholson
[23:29] a few things.
[23:31] >> I like to recognize and Bill
cool
[23:35] for their generous donation for
the sculpture. A hockey player
[23:38] at the human recreation campus,
very generous donation.
[23:44] We also have a comment or a
question on
[23:47] one F
[23:48] purchase of traffic controller
equipment.
[23:53] I was wondering how many
intersections that would serve
[23:56] for how long. I have some
questions about the camera
[23:59] capabilities.
[24:03] >> Councilmember Nicholson
their counsel
[24:06] so that will do about 15
intersections. What we're doing
[24:09] is we're going through
[24:10] brought to Italy, proactively
selecting once controlling the
[24:14] upgrading the controllers and
then the camera. Some of the
[24:17] cameras are still in good
shape. Sorter leaving those.
[24:20] But the controllers processors
are not being supported
[24:22] anymore. We kept Stone. And so
we're getting those replaced
[24:26] with a new upgraded
controllers.
[24:28] >> The other question I had is
up
[24:30] the cameras
[24:33] do what are the safeguards we
have in place to keep those
[24:37] from being used for illegal or
otherwise improper purposes.
[24:43] >> So right now we don't do any
recording for those. The camera
[24:46] simply that act does own.
So when a car pulls up into its
[24:50] own set of Q and in the process
or decides whether to extend
[24:54] that time or shorten the time
to keep traffic flowing
[24:57] preparation. We actually just
get back a picture. It's still
[25:01] picture after still picture,
not an actual video recorder.
[25:06] >> Any other questions
regarding Senate agenda.
[25:09] All right. That will move to
ask for separations.
[25:14] But Mister Kennedy,
[25:18] I would ask to separate
segregate place.
[25:24] Thank you. Miss anybody else
Mister nice item when he
[25:34] anything else. Mister would go
ahead. And the mayor of like to
[25:37] make a motion to approve the
consent agenda items except for
[25:40] one. Ian 01:00AM second
[25:43] seconded by
[25:45] Mister Pittman.
[25:47] Any discussion regarding the
motion. Mister Boyett
[25:51] anybody else.
[25:52] All those in favor of the
motion, please indicate by
[25:56] saying aye aye. All those
opposed. Please say no,
[26:01] that passes unanimously
[26:03] will now take up item.
[26:05] The student alphabetical order.
Mister neices separation.
[26:08] One e
[26:10] parents separated that out to
vote against that. I will say
[26:13] that they believe that. But the
city needs to reevaluate the
[26:16] policy for their there
maintaining city or State
[26:20] Street lights. I can understand
the state roads where it's it's
[26:24] amputations for the city too
[26:27] maintain those light so we can
because the state may take a
[26:29] little longer. But I think the
county County should have a
[26:33] responsibility that where we
should follow what we're doing
[26:37] in other areas of the city
where the using our Reza where
[26:40] our services for premium.
So I only separated vote
[26:43] against this bill that someone
else make a motion to approve.
[26:46] We have a motion. Mister
Boyett.
[26:48] >> Thank you, mayor. I move to
approve number. I began to
[26:51] item. Number one, he.
[26:54] >> Thank you. Do have a second.
[26:56] This Geary.
[27:00] All right. Mister Boyd,
anything about your
[27:03] >> this is the 48th and what
central that's going to be in
[27:05] the city within very short
period of time. We do have
[27:08] working relationships with the
county on items. We shouldn't
[27:12] be making profit on there.
[27:14] We should be our costs.
[27:16] I can see that this is $1700 as
you want to be 18 or 2000 and
[27:21] make a difference. So I think
we should approve this and move
[27:24] forward.
[27:26] Further discussion regarding
the motion.
[27:29] >> All right. We'll move to a
vote in all those in favor of
[27:34] motion regarding item. One e
please indicate by saying aye
[27:38] all those opposed nay.
[27:41] So it looks like the council
members Nicholson and knees.
[27:45] Our nose
[27:47] 92
[27:49] item. Then Mister Kennedy.
01:00AM
[27:54] I segregated am because I voted
against it. A no vote against
[27:58] him.
[28:01] We have a motion that Mister
he's
[28:05] is Jennifer here tonight.
Yeah. But mayor make a motion
[28:08] to approve item one. And and
then I'll make a amendment 2
[28:13] afterwards after its a second.
[28:19] Mister Linley seconded it.
[28:21] All right. Go ahead, Mister.
Thank you. Mary spoke with
[28:26] Jennifer on this and also
conferred with legal I I'm I'm
[28:29] recommending we make a change
and I think Jennifer can bring
[28:32] that up and show it's a minor
change to do some clarification
[28:35] and the number of cards
[28:37] and and residential cards as
well as the ability as far as
[28:44] making sure that they when the
staff does see multiple carts.
[28:48] There's going to be room enough
for those carts there. So if
[28:50] you look at the screen,
[28:52] there's the recommended change.
It's more of a clarification.
[28:57] Zpid public works is already
doing this now.
[29:00] And and and they only pay for
one card in the residential
[29:03] service. It appeared to kind of
imply that they were going to
[29:07] get 2 cards. So the specifies
one car to get more carts
[29:10] available at a fee.
[29:13] I would make a motion to adopt
this minor amendment to the
[29:20] motion has shown.
[29:23] So you you're going to amend
your motion to adopt that
[29:28] as it with the adoptions.
Is that correct.
[29:31] And make an amendment to the
motion said and it was second
[29:35] Mister Linley. All right.
Let's vote on that. And unless
[29:38] there's further discussion.
[29:41] Okay.
[29:43] Those in favor of the mystery
says motion. Please indicate by
[29:47] saying I I those opposed please
say no, no,
[29:53] we need to then I guess we
don't need to vote on the
[29:55] original motion. We're good.
[29:57] All right. So let's vote on the
original motion nice
[30:01] the amended motion,
[30:04] OK. Thank you
[30:06] all those in favor of the
amended motion. Please indicate
[30:09] by saying aye. I
[30:11] all those opposed. Please say
no, no,
[30:14] Mister Aspen later, Mister
Kennedy and doctor Nicholson
[30:18] Arnaud's 8 to 3.
[30:22] That brings us to
[30:25] our regular agenda item number
2, the public hearing for land
[30:29] use contra. I'm sorry. This
Bowman I stole your thunder.
[30:33] Would you read item number 2.
[30:36] >> Public hearing for land use
contrary to zoning for an
[30:40] electric and electronic message
display EMT while sign at
[30:45] Highland elementary school
located at 7.29 parkhill know
[30:51] Council action is necessary.
[30:56] >> All right. Good evening,
mayor and Council. I'm pinching
[31:00] today. So thank you for bearing
with me today. We have a land
[31:04] use country to zoning for
Highland elementary school,
[31:07] which is located at 7.29 Park
Hill drive. This is to allow an
[31:11] electronic message. You can
displace which is basically a
[31:15] sign in p to district, which is
our public civic and
[31:19] institutional district. So with
the land use contrary to
[31:22] zoning. You do not have a vote
on this. You hold a public
[31:26] hearing and then you can make
suggestions to the applicant or
[31:29] their agent. So here we have a
picture of the school as an
[31:34] aerial view.
[31:38] This is the proposed EMT sign
[31:42] one of their options that
they're considering.
[31:46] This is another option that
they're considering
[31:50] and this is what the signed
currently looks like. It's a
[31:53] static messaging display sign.
So with this, the applicant
[31:58] would still have to go through
a signed permitting process and
[32:01] they would still be subject to
our sign regulations which
[32:04] include Deming features as well
as not having flashing as
[32:09] transitions have to be for 3
seconds. You have to stay on a
[32:12] permanent
[32:13] sine message. So just various
other things that they would
[32:16] still be subject to.
[32:19] And with that, I will keep this
short and sweet. That's all I
[32:22] have for you.
[32:23] >> Thank you very much.
[32:26] Yes, comments time is now.
So Mister Kennedy,
[32:30] I would support this.
[32:32] This sign is kind of ugly up
there now a new sign, a look
[32:36] nice and I'm a block away.
Thank you,
[32:40] Mister Pruitt.
[32:42] I'm just curious to see anybody
from Highland elementary school
[32:44] is here to talk about it
[32:51] looks like that's a
[32:55] oh yes. I Highland elementary
school.
[32:59] It was New York.
[33:00] >> Just not principle Highland
elementary. I'm so he's looking
[33:04] at updating our sign.
[33:07] I agree it's little outdated.
And we're just
[33:11] it's also a little unsafe,
Maya, so to ask you the latter
[33:14] out and chains assigned
manually. So during the winter
[33:17] months, which is the wet or
snowy. But he's out there
[33:21] trying to place a ladder in.
So also be a little safer for
[33:25] us. Just trying to keep up with
some of the other schools and
[33:29] I'm making things look nice and
stay updated. So
[33:33] appreciate any that support and
any feedback you have on.
[33:38] Thank you.
[33:39] >> Thank you for coming to hold
on to say do we have any
[33:41] questions for principle.
[33:45] >> We we can't vote on this one
way or another. But there are
[33:48] some regulations on the city's
far as when you condemn the
[33:51] lights, you can't have strobe
lights moment. I just want to
[33:54] make sure that you're going to
follow those rules. Absolutely.
[33:57] >> Thank you. Thank you.
[34:00] >> Thank you very much.
[34:02] And moves on to item. Number 3.
[34:07] We do have to have a public
hearing. Yes.
[34:10] So we're going to open it up
for a public hearing. I'm sorry
[34:13] I only had that highlighted in
green. So I didn't see it.
[34:16] Are there any public comment
regarding the sign Island
[34:19] school.
[34:26] >> My name is land or sea.
I'm here with the Billings
[34:28] Alliance for immigrant rights.
[34:32] You can talk about schools, but
you can't talk about that in
[34:34] the sanctuary city on the
agenda. 9 year-old girl.
[34:38] Authorities naps ice 9 year-old
girl was kidnapped by nice.
[34:42] And you still will.
[35:07] >> Mister Dorsey
[35:10] Mister Dorsey
[35:13] to Dorsey.
[35:15] We've talked before about
[35:17] what is effective.
[35:19] I'm following our rules.
And you've done well up to now
[35:22] all
[35:23] and you're going to have to
continue to follow EU our
[35:25] rules. If you want to stay in
here.
[35:32] People either
[35:34] you're going to need
[35:36] to follow our rules. If you
want to stay in here.
[35:39] I'm sorry, but everybody else
does.
[35:42] That's how we protect free
speech here and that's how we
[35:46] protect people's right to
participate in government is by
[35:49] following the rules.
[35:51] So please sit down.
[35:52] We're going to have to ask you
to leave
[35:56] your choice,
[35:59] mayor. I make a motion to
recess.
[36:02] I second that
[36:04] we're going to take a recess.
Go ahead, folks. You can take a
[36:06] step
[43:14] seeing none. We'll move to item
number 3.
[43:20] >> Public hearing a resolution
creating the Billings airport
[43:24] authority
[43:25] and board of commissioners
staff recommends approval.
[43:34] >> Spencer July with Stephen
Baldwin Associates. I'm just
[43:37] here to say a few words about
the proposed resolution before
[43:41] the public hearing. So this is
the work out for before you
[43:46] following the May 2620 26
meeting for the creation of the
[43:53] Billings airport authority and
a proposed governance structure
[43:57] thereof.
[43:58] So we worked with the airport
governor's transition. Steering
[44:01] committee Council man has been
lighter as well as councilman
[44:05] needs for both on that
committee and helping form this
[44:09] resolution before you
[44:10] and I'm happy to answer any
questions that anyone has on a
[44:17] but ultimately this is
providing all the powers in
[44:20] accordance with state law for
the creation of the airport
[44:23] authority
[44:26] I would like to
[44:27] and that there is one proposed
[44:31] change here for section 2.4
[44:35] and this is after some
consultation with one of our
[44:39] committee members as well as
legal counsel.
[44:44] I think we know holding up here
momentarily.
[44:57] Okay. So I believe it's up on
the screen now for everyone to
[45:00] see. So this is a section for
removal for cause. So in item
[45:04] one, we're going to be
proposing the addition of
[45:08] language that says or becomes
physically or mentally
[45:11] incapacitated. So really the
member ceasing to meet the
[45:14] qualifications for appointment
or becomes physically or
[45:17] mentally incapacitated.
[45:22] Other than that, there are no
proposed changes to the
[45:26] resolution.
[45:27] >> Thank you. Miss Roche
evening. Guests. Mayor us City
[45:31] Council. Thank you.
[45:32] This was a great effort by the
[45:35] steering committee to put this
together and a lot of work went
[45:39] into this lottery view
[45:41] and definitely encouraged to
[45:43] approval of this resolution to
move this continue to move this
[45:47] process forward by establishing
the board structure.
[45:52] >> Thank you. All right.
Thank you. Anything else from
[45:54] either want to be.
[45:56] We have questions for prisoners
[45:59] Mister o'donnell and
[46:04] the giving Mister o'donnell, go
ahead.
[46:06] >> Thank you. So in that
conversation went back and
[46:10] forth by email and the
agreement on the very last
[46:15] lines of the agreement.
[46:17] This section number H
[46:20] article 8.
[46:22] It says any changes made to
this resolution shall be by an
[46:26] affirmative vote of the
majority of the billing City
[46:29] Council diet dash elect.
[46:32] I would like to point out that
by the that that that is a
[46:35] legal term City Council elected
and city councils like is a
[46:41] City Council that has not been
sworn in. They have no
[46:44] authority. Whatever.
[46:45] So I think that we corrected by
just removing the everything.
[46:52] After the word Council.
[46:55] >> We go with that.
[46:59] >> Yes, yes. I'm sort of
getting a question here from
[47:02] Mister Roach. That's that's
correct. Council council,
[47:06] member o'donnell generally,
when you have high intellect
[47:10] after counselor councilmember
that's generally during the
[47:14] your time when something's been
elected. But yet that has not
[47:16] yet taken office,
[47:18] counselor o'donnell's correct
that that
[47:21] term would essentially referred
to a council that cannot act.
[47:24] So I would agree that that
would be inappropriate and it
[47:28] to remove hyphen elect.
[47:34] Thank you. I have one other
[47:36] one that I'm trying to find
right here,
[47:39] councilman boy, it may help me
into banking term
[47:46] and I'm trying to find it right
here in view that the word is.
[47:52] >> I believe that you referred
to banking. It's going to be in
[47:55] the section related to
finances. So probably 5.1.
[48:00] >> It says such a positive
shall be supported by bank
[48:03] pledges as prescribed under
state statute. Never heard of
[48:08] the term bank pledges before
that sounds like it's
[48:12] not not official non-binding.
[48:15] Just very curious phrase.
Can you help us with that.
[48:19] >> Yes. So I'd be somewhere
like being securities. So in
[48:23] for a municipality or
government agency to want to
[48:25] have some type of security or
pledged thereof
[48:29] or the funds of the airport
authority already. So this is
[48:33] as a protection of the funds
that you would have with a
[48:35] bank.
[48:37] >> So, yeah, there's FDIC up to
a $350,000 and then a pledge is
[48:44] the bank is ensuring is
guaranteeing all of that money
[48:49] up to whatever amount that they
have been on their own.
[48:53] Yeah. And as such the bank to
cut to cover that.
[48:58] >> The correct. There would be
some form of security related
[49:01] to it that they would be
pledging it as a holding of the
[49:05] funds for the authority.
And this is common. This is
[49:08] common. I would imagine your
city and so far it has
[49:11] something in place for the
finances. The city. Thank you,
[49:16] Mister do it.
[49:18] >> Yes. Are in the banking
businesses happens quite a bit
[49:20] because you know that or you
have multiple checking account
[49:23] or savings accounts that so
they don't exceed that. But
[49:26] these are the bank will take
Treasury bills or Treasury
[49:28] notes to guarantee the
difference in cases of thank
[49:31] you. This is a common practice.
[49:35] >> Mister nice, thank you,
mayor. I would say they could
[49:38] be in a committee. I think
Spencer and his team has done a
[49:42] great job answering my
questions and the rest of the
[49:44] community questions.
[49:46] This resolution was a look at
pretty pretty rigorously bias,
[49:50] all maybe a little more by me
with Spencer nigh on the phone
[49:53] later. But I appreciate the
information they have. This is
[49:57] this does then turned the
report over to the board
[49:59] eventually once we get them
seated. But this is a good
[50:01] process. I think it's it's it's
as a growing city.
[50:06] >> I think we're looking is the
next step of this beam coming.
[50:09] So I look forward to this board
eventually getting establishing
[50:13] this authority.
[50:14] >> It getting out there to see
how they develop that whole
[50:17] airport now outside of the city
control. So while we still have
[50:23] a little bit of the strings
appointment of stuff. It is.
[50:26] It's going to be up to Jeff and
his team moved this forward.
[50:29] So thank you again, Jeff worked
with this. Bring this to a
[50:32] sitting council member asked
fire if you were instrumental
[50:34] in that too. So appreciate that
[50:38] any other questions or
comments.
[50:40] All right.
[50:43] I would. I do for a stall.
So are you recommending that
[50:46] last word in section 9
[50:49] bash cool, a high from the
left.
[50:54] Yes, mayor. I think that would
be appropriate to have a couple
[50:57] of changes suggested. Can we
just throw them into the
[50:59] original motion, then could
somebody for the motion.
[51:04] We've got to do public hearing.
[51:07] Okay. So and opened a meeting
up to public hearing regarding
[51:11] the Billings airport authority
board item number 3
[51:14] for anybody who wants to speak
to that.
[51:18] >> Mister mayor members City
Councilman John Brewer,
[51:20] president CEO the Billings
Chamber of Commerce on behalf
[51:23] of the chamber and visit
buildings. We have the
[51:24] privilege of serving on the 7
month assessment and very much
[51:29] appreciate the process and the
thoroughness and we
[51:31] wholeheartedly support the
resolution. Thank you.
[51:37] >> Any other public comments
regarding item number 3.
[51:44] All right. Seeing none.
[51:47] Now we would entertain them.
[51:50] But mistress Linares.
[51:51] I think that did a public
hearing.
[51:53] Consider written and spoken
public testimony. A move to
[51:56] approve.
[51:57] >> A resolution creating the
Billings airport authority and
[52:00] board of commissioners as
recommended by staff with the
[52:03] proposed to changes noted.
[52:07] >> Mister new seconds and
[52:10] clarification. This Trestman
lighter. The proposed
[52:13] changes would be to add or
becomes physically or mentally
[52:17] incapacitated item 2.4
[52:20] and to strike counsel act to
strike the word elect article 8
[52:29] any comment or debate. Mister
putin.
[52:32] >> Yeah. Mayor Council. I would
just ask the the airport staff
[52:36] that may be holed some more
meetings kind of explaining
[52:39] especially is as we take this
step. What what the impact is
[52:42] to to the employees up at the
airport when I was at the air
[52:46] show. I got a ride from one of
the firefighters and I asked
[52:49] him what they thought of this
whole thing and they said that
[52:52] they're still very confused and
not sure. And uncertain as to
[52:56] how this unfolds and how this
ends up affecting their job.
[52:59] So I would just encourage the
airport administrator to to
[53:04] make sure that we hold a couple
more meetings may be smaller
[53:08] with separating out different
groups of the airport and
[53:11] educating them on on how this
proceeds. I'm not sure where
[53:14] we're at an impasse. I'm
thinking we're about halfway
[53:16] through.
[53:18] Is that correct.
[53:27] I know this is a significant
step in the process. I think it
[53:31] kind of usher's as we go
forward that we're moving
[53:34] forward and in this direction.
[53:37] >> Yes. So what would be happy
to host more unemployed town
[53:41] halls. We did have the
opportunity to host to what we
[53:44] can certainly host more or as
we go forward and to the
[53:48] schedule we are on schedule
right now and the anticipated
[53:51] transition timeline. It's going
to be in June or beginning of
[53:56] July to correspond with the
fiscal years. But our target is
[54:00] right now for the overall
transition. So between now and
[54:04] then we're going to be working
on standing up the authority
[54:07] next thing that will come to
this Council will be the
[54:11] appointment of the
commissioners and we have
[54:13] outlined a process for that.
And then there will be several
[54:16] several agreements here this
fall as well. We'll be working
[54:19] on and bringing forward to the
council.
[54:24] >> The questions or discussion
[54:28] seeing none. We'll move on to
move to a vote on the Mister
[54:31] escalators motion
[54:33] all those in favor, please
indicate by saying aye aye.
[54:37] All those opposed say no.
That is unanimous vote.
[54:48] >> He cleared Pullman going to
move to item for public hearing
[54:51] in resolution setting annual
road maintenance district
[54:55] number 6 assessments for fiscal
year 2027 staff recommends
[55:00] approval.
[55:07] >> Good evening, mayor and City
Council.
[55:13] >> This first item is rather
small, but we have a lot of
[55:15] assessments.
[55:17] This is kind of the other side
of the budget. Largely this
[55:20] evening. You take an actual a
few items already setting
[55:23] revenue from this current
fiscal year.
[55:26] The city of Billings has a it's
the Briarwood emergency access
[55:31] road was built in 2015 to
provide a secondary emergency
[55:38] access to Briarwood part of
establishing that road. The
[55:44] road rmd 6 was created there.
51 properties that are assessed
[55:51] $55 a year to help maintain
that gravel road for emergency
[55:56] access. This
[56:00] action would
[56:01] set the FY 27 assessment again
at $55.28
[56:07] her property.
[56:09] That's all I have. Mayor.
This is a public hearing
[56:12] and I am available for any
questions.
[56:15] >> Thanks for the reminder
about the hearing this drizzle
[56:17] or a Mister go yet.
[56:21] >> So Andy, I've been on this
road before. It doesn't get any
[56:23] news. What what is $2800.
What do you do with that mean.
[56:28] Is that 1, 2, or 3 piles of
rock or what do you mean it's
[56:31] not towns. Like us lot of
money.
[56:33] >> I suspect the annual
maintenance on this is quite
[56:35] limited to weed spring in.
I believe occasionally it will
[56:39] wash out from a storm. It's
have to go catch an area.
[56:42] So they just accumulate funds
over time.
[56:48] >> Anything else for Mister
Zoeller.
[56:50] I will move to a public hearing
and regarding item number for
[56:54] anyone wants to speak to item.
Number 4, please come forward
[57:03] seeing none. We'll close the
public hearing and
[57:07] to the motion phase of this.
[57:10] Mister do it.
[57:12] Thank you, mayor having
conducted a public hearing
[57:15] considered written and spoken
public testimony. A move to
[57:18] approve the resolution setting
and a road maintenance. A
[57:21] district number 6 assessments
for fiscal year 2, 0, 2,
[57:25] 7, as recommended by staff.
[57:28] Mister nice. Second
[57:29] Mister needs seconds.
[57:32] Mister Boyd any discussions
your motion.
[57:35] Anybody have any questions
debate or discussion
[57:39] seeing none. Let's move to a
vote. All those in favor of
[57:42] Mister Boyce motion, please
indicate by saying aye aye.
[57:47] All those opposed say no.
[57:49] That is unanimous.
[57:54] Alright MS Bowman. We are ready
for item. 5.
[57:57] >> Of the caring resolution
setting annual Park maintenance
[58:01] district and D assessments for
fiscal year 2027 staff
[58:06] recommends approval.
[58:10] >> Good evening, mayor and City
Council
[58:12] this resolution before you
would establish assessments for
[58:16] the fiscal year 27 Park
maintenance districts. There
[58:19] are 36 PM tease across the
city. Each varying sizes and
[58:25] different levels of service
provided
[58:29] these that there's about 6500
properties that are in within a
[58:33] pnd. So not every property in
Billings.
[58:38] The total annual Sussman says
just under 1.7 million. This is
[58:42] slightly less than last year.
Additionally, it slightly less.
[58:45] We had anticipated
[58:47] during budget discussions show
you in the next slide. The
[58:51] breakdown is also in your staff
memo. The reason for these
[58:53] reductions are every year we
look at cash balances estimate
[58:58] future the next year's expenses
and try to
[59:03] my stomach was a shun there.
So we're not expecting too much
[59:06] and also collecting enough.
Additionally in ironwood.
[59:10] There were some changes made
with future plans for their
[59:13] entry way sign. So you'll see a
huge drop at ironwood relative
[59:17] to prior years. But it's
specifically related to how the
[59:21] H.O.A. wanted
[59:22] to fund the replacement of that
future sign
[59:26] average annual charge right
onto and $75 for the
[59:32] of those 6500 properties.
[59:35] So this slide shows the change
from fiscal year 26 to fiscal
[59:39] year 27. That's total revenue
per
[59:43] pmd and you'll see ironwood
over there on the right in
[59:48] about the middle with the
$43,000 reduction in its annual
[59:52] charge again, that's too that
sign
[59:55] the change there
[59:57] with that mayor. This also is a
public hearing but staff
[1:00:02] available to answer questions.
[1:00:04] >> Thank you. Any questions for
our presenter.
[1:00:08] Okay. I will open the meeting
up to a public hearing
[1:00:12] regarding item. Number 5.
[1:00:22] >> Good evening, mayor and City
Council members. My name is
[1:00:24] Jeff couple summit with the 5th
Ward.
[1:00:29] We're going to set the rates
for everybody's
[1:00:32] and the city for the park
district for the maintenance.
[1:00:36] I'd like to from the citizens
of something that very
[1:00:39] interesting one on
[1:00:41] the June turned Park district
board meeting
[1:00:45] a gentleman in Rick,
[1:00:47] the 4
[1:00:49] talked about
[1:00:51] reinstituting a tax
[1:00:54] and the citizens. It's an opt
out tax
[1:00:58] currently this. This tax was
instituted
[1:01:02] years and years and years ago.
[1:01:04] And then the state passed a law
[1:01:07] that basically got rid of it.
[1:01:09] It was a sneaky way of
increasing your property tax so
[1:01:13] you don't get the vote on it.
They just added to it
[1:01:27] anyways
[1:01:33] at the meeting. At the meeting.
He talked about reinstituting
[1:01:36] the stacks and our
[1:01:37] director Calvin
[1:01:40] he supported that the supported
it. But what was really
[1:01:42] interesting that the meeting
was like I lived in bizarro and
[1:01:46] per second,
[1:01:47] we don't have enough money to.
[1:01:49] We don't have enough money to
maintain our parks is basically
[1:01:52] what it is.
[1:01:54] At the same meeting
[1:01:56] this lady gets up
[1:02:00] and she's
[1:02:01] I think her name is Jackie of
the buildings kind Association
[1:02:05] and she has a proposal about
giving citizens money
[1:02:10] to build a new tennis court
that the amend recreation area.
[1:02:16] It was like, wait a second.
[1:02:18] We don't have enough money to
maintain our parks. But we're
[1:02:20] going to give this lady
millions and millions of
[1:02:21] dollars.
[1:02:23] I didn't understand this.
It was like it was really
[1:02:26] bizarre land
[1:02:29] anyways.
[1:02:31] What I'm trying to make errors
see again. Here is another
[1:02:35] another example.
[1:02:38] Make you pay and give
[1:02:40] our money away to nonprofits
that we don't get any benefit
[1:02:44] for him.
[1:02:47] So many ways when when through
this this
[1:02:50] Levy or whatever it is.
[1:02:54] Think about what's coming down
the pike
[1:02:57] and maybe, maybe just maybe
stand up a little bit for
[1:03:00] yourself.
[1:03:01] Come here and tell him to make
a quick given where money
[1:03:05] maintain our own equipment
maintain our parks.
[1:03:09] Think about our kids.
[1:03:12] This kind of speech,
[1:03:13] just kind of things, not even
going to be open to the public.
[1:03:16] You're going to have to pay for
it.
[1:03:18] It's it's it's it's bizarre
when anyways. Thank you.
[1:03:22] Have a great day.
[1:03:25] >> Any other public comment
regarding item. Number 5
[1:03:31] seeing none. We'll close the
public hearing portion
[1:03:35] and come back.
[1:03:37] Mister Zoeller.
[1:03:39] I guess we would entertain a
motion.
[1:03:45] >> Having conducted a public
hearing consider written and
[1:03:48] spoken public testimony.
I move to approve a resolution
[1:03:51] setting annual Park maintenance
district assessments for fiscal
[1:03:53] year 2027 as recommended by
staff. Second.
[1:03:57] >> This trip in seconds.
[1:04:00] Any discussion, the shot,
[1:04:03] anybody else have any
discussion or debate regarding
[1:04:06] the ocean.
[1:04:09] All right. Time to vote, folks.
All those in favor of the
[1:04:11] motion, please indicate by
saying aye aye. All those
[1:04:15] opposed say no.
[1:04:17] That's the unanimous
[1:04:20] item. Number 6.
[1:04:24] >> We can resolution
establishing general transit
[1:04:29] library and public safety funds
mill levies for fiscal year
[1:04:33] 2027 staff recommends approval.
[1:04:39] >> Good evening, mayor and City
Council. This would set this
[1:04:42] resolution before you will set
the number of Mills for the
[1:04:45] entire city for fiscal year 27
and a few things to go through
[1:04:52] the try to address all of this
in the staff memo. There's
[1:04:56] couple Dist
[1:04:57] questions that are has to me
earlier today. So about a few
[1:05:00] things that was not we're not
including a staff memo
[1:05:04] as well. So overall,
[1:05:08] as you may be aware every year
the city get certified value
[1:05:11] from the state of Montana and
says you're taxing jurisdiction
[1:05:14] is worth this this year.
The value, the taxable value
[1:05:18] increase from the city of
Billings by 7.6% that took the
[1:05:22] value of one mill for about
233,000 to 250,000
[1:05:30] the increase in taxable value
is made up of 2 things. One is
[1:05:34] new construction. You know, its
annexation new buildings.
[1:05:38] The other one is appreciation
or changes in tax law this
[1:05:42] year. A large portion of art
taxable value increases related
[1:05:46] to the changes in the tax law
[1:05:51] with respect to tax revenue,
though that doesn't necessarily
[1:05:54] follow the increase in taxable
value. We knew they would
[1:05:58] during the budget process.
As you recall, that we would
[1:06:02] realize inflationary increase
of 2.9 5%. That's very
[1:06:05] formulaic. We didn't know is
what value. The new
[1:06:08] construction would bring at
that time combined with the
[1:06:13] inflation out. The
[1:06:18] Mills would be it would.
It would generate 4.2% in
[1:06:21] additional revenue.
[1:06:25] This chart here shows with the
Mills would be in fiscal 27
[1:06:30] relative to fiscal 26. This is
a decrease in total number of
[1:06:35] Mills. Yeah. An increase in
[1:06:41] total tax revenue.
[1:06:44] So that's a decrease of 7.7
Mills broken out by type you
[1:06:47] see there
[1:06:49] on the far right
[1:06:53] there was a discussion
[1:06:55] are there was a question asked
to me earlier, but over the
[1:06:58] Mills need to be in order to
generate the amount of revenue
[1:07:02] that was budgeted. The next
slide. Have those Mills.
[1:07:06] But I want to remind you that
the FY 27 the budget was
[1:07:09] adopted using reserves
[1:07:12] with the expectation that new
construction would bring in
[1:07:14] some additional revenue.
[1:07:16] So up there I have each fund's
general fund public safety
[1:07:20] Library in transit
[1:07:21] showing
[1:07:23] first COLUMN there for 27
budget that was adopted with
[1:07:26] that 2.9 5% growth in tax
revenue.
[1:07:30] So in the general fund, we
adopted a budget using 900,000
[1:07:33] of reserves.
[1:07:35] If you realize the revenue from
the newly taxable property.
[1:07:41] That would be to $250,000.
So your budget use of reserves
[1:07:44] to be 6.65
[1:07:47] if you choose to levy fewer
Mills the to match the
[1:07:52] budgeted amount.
[1:07:53] You're just choosing to use
reserves for fiscal year 27
[1:07:56] instead of
[1:07:58] what you'll still use reserves
in fiscal 27 just as more of
[1:08:01] them. If you choose to
[1:08:03] not take that newly taxable
property revenue.
[1:08:08] Certainly it to you guys.
I would recommend against that.
[1:08:12] The the reduction would be 3
Mills.
[1:08:19] Before I get to that, the
median home. If you adopt what
[1:08:23] is presented are or recommended
in the resolution, the median
[1:08:27] home and see a reduction in
their city of Billings tax bill
[1:08:30] about $20 per year because of
the reduction in Mills
[1:08:34] reason is there's new
construction taking up that new
[1:08:36] revenue.
[1:08:38] If you want to drop to the FY
27 budgeted dollars. You need
[1:08:41] to remove 3.0. 1 Mills from
what is in the resolution broke
[1:08:47] apart there for you. This would
add an additional $7.90 or year
[1:08:55] for the year on the median home
[1:08:57] city of Billings tax bill or
reduce it by that much.
[1:09:03] And this is a public hearing
and staff does recommend
[1:09:07] approving resolution as
presented but happy to answer
[1:09:10] discussion or answer questions
and participate in a
[1:09:13] discussion.
[1:09:14] >> Kay questions for our
presenter and Mister Kennedy's
[1:09:17] anxious to start.
[1:09:20] Andy,
[1:09:21] we discussed this last year
also. And we talked about
[1:09:27] adopting until after the
certified values came up.
[1:09:33] We were said no, let's let's do
it in June. And so I want to
[1:09:39] bring a panel discussion that
we discussed about a year ago.
[1:09:43] I'm having heartburn over
because now we have the
[1:09:48] certified value
[1:09:50] and we had set this at 2.9 5%
[1:09:55] that now we're going to come
back and said it at 4.2%
[1:10:00] because now we realize there's
more money there.
[1:10:04] I won't do that.
[1:10:06] I'm I'm going to stay with the
2.9 5, I would hope this
[1:10:10] resolution is changed up to
2.9%,
[1:10:14] I don't care if it's $20, a
$100 or $500 for household.
[1:10:20] I think the taxpayers to serve
it from us that we are
[1:10:25] decreasing for them. So that's
my comments us. This gets
[1:10:30] reduced. I'm not voting for.
Thank you.
[1:10:34] The stress and lighter Mister
Brad, a.
[1:10:38] >> Thanks Mister mayor of
[1:10:41] the sizzle or ied.
[1:10:43] We all knew the wire in transit
or we're going to spend reserve
[1:10:48] that was very clear and budget
presentation. I was very clear.
[1:10:50] And what we talked about.
I was very clear that
[1:10:52] direction. The council work on
the assumption that,
[1:10:57] you know, spending that deep in
reserves was not sustainable.
[1:11:01] We're going to have to figure
this out in the next budget
[1:11:05] that was the intent this time
[1:11:10] through the budget hearing and
through
[1:11:12] adoption. We did know agree
with that. That's what was
[1:11:16] passed and it was very clear in
the conversation in the
[1:11:19] direction that that we approved
budget.
[1:11:21] So to me those 2 are are off.
The table were where my
[1:11:24] question comes from is
[1:11:29] use of reserves in the general
fund.
[1:11:32] I don't, you know, sitting
through through all of those
[1:11:36] meetings. I don't
[1:11:38] I don't recall seeing
[1:11:40] that target. Can you help me
understand where
[1:11:43] that 665,010 in reserve
[1:11:48] comes from and where where did
we talk about that in
[1:11:52] budget meetings. I I don't
recall that at all.
[1:11:56] >> So
[1:12:00] I believe some of that is, you
know, one time or infrequent
[1:12:03] spending. So I do want to say
that's all operational. But
[1:12:06] I do know that my budget
overview presentation as well
[1:12:10] as the like 10 page intro.
We talked about use of reserves
[1:12:14] each year for public safety
fund a general fund. So would
[1:12:17] have been discussed there.
What specifically is driving
[1:12:21] that I don't recall offhand.
[1:12:23] I'm happy to put stuff together
and send it out to you guys
[1:12:26] that really doesn't change
anything for today's decision
[1:12:29] but
[1:12:30] certain that we chatted about
that as part of presentation
[1:12:34] does have a slight specifically
for that.
[1:12:38] >> I'm going to be with
councilman Kennedy. He arrived.
[1:12:41] I'm not interested or willing
to go back on what we set at a
[1:12:46] time where our constituents are
are getting hammered with with
[1:12:50] taxes and fees. We're going to
have
[1:12:53] the jail bond Levy on the
docket.
[1:12:56] It $20 doesn't sound like a lot
of $20 is a lot to some people
[1:13:00] and and fixed income Polk.
And and I'm just not
[1:13:04] I'm not comfortable
[1:13:08] >> setting backwards
[1:13:10] and and taking more than what
we had pledged and committed to
[1:13:13] take on the beginning. I I
understand this was the true up
[1:13:17] process. And this is how we've
done it in the past.
[1:13:20] But it's also the first time
where we've had this kind of
[1:13:22] problem under the new tax code
under the new state laws.
[1:13:26] And
[1:13:27] this might be the trigger for
us to get away from
[1:13:31] from adopting the budget in
June and dot doing a
[1:13:33] preliminary budget adoption so
that we have a full
[1:13:36] conversation around what this
looks like.
[1:13:39] I think that that's for the new
budget and finance Committee.
[1:13:43] I think that's something that
should be discussed at your
[1:13:46] next meeting. As a matter of
fact. So I'm I'm not going to
[1:13:50] support it. And unless it's
back to what we had originally
[1:13:53] sex. I just don't think that's
being honest and diligent and
[1:13:55] faithful to the to the
taxpayers.
[1:14:01] I'm sorry, Mister, but the new
mug shot.
[1:14:05] So and the all the time you
talk about reserves, there's a
[1:14:08] percentage of our that we want
to keep in there. Tell us how
[1:14:12] this
[1:14:13] 6.65. How does that affect our
reserves and how does that
[1:14:17] change the percentage where we
had and that and what does that
[1:14:20] do for us for bonding and
whatever else.
[1:14:23] >> Yes, your your general fund
reserves would go down if
[1:14:26] everybody spent every dollar
$920,000 if you don't
[1:14:32] Levy the newly taxable
property.
[1:14:35] I guess I want to clarify one
thing that I heard you say
[1:14:37] counselor asked later. Maybe I
misheard
[1:14:41] as the resolutions presented
before you right now that will
[1:14:44] result in a $20 reduction.
[1:14:46] If you want to
[1:14:47] go back further.
[1:14:49] It would be an additional 7.90
on top of that, we are already
[1:14:52] reducing Mills just to clarify
the if I'm asserting my
[1:14:55] apologies.
[1:14:57] But
[1:14:59] when we
[1:15:00] should we ever go out for Geo
bond.
[1:15:04] The general fund reserves will
be and the change in that they
[1:15:08] were using it are adding to it
year-over-year. That will be
[1:15:10] one of the metrics that used to
determine
[1:15:13] how financially stable Billings
is.
[1:15:17] And then therefore our bond
rating. We do receive a bond
[1:15:20] rating every year. So as
[1:15:24] as we use reserves at times.
I'm asked by Moody's the rating
[1:15:27] agency. You know what caused
that? Is it operational or was
[1:15:31] this a one-time use of reserves
[1:15:35] when we're not borrowing like
your credit score. If you're
[1:15:37] not looking for a loan. Your
credit score is low. It may not
[1:15:40] really matter. But when you
want to go pursue on you.
[1:15:43] One high credit score. So
[1:15:46] that's why I would encourage
you to maintain good
[1:15:49] financial decisions which would
be healthy reserves, especially
[1:15:52] the general fund. I'm using
them for operating costs like
[1:15:56] in light rail. Transit is not
sustainable.
[1:16:01] You certainly could adopt a
budget or have adopted a budget
[1:16:05] that you could set the Mills to
use 900, $20,000. You can
[1:16:09] afford that. But you cannot
continue to afford that.
[1:16:13] So I again, I would recommend
[1:16:16] using the newly taxable
[1:16:19] still providing tax relief.
The median home. But again,
[1:16:23] that's your your decision.
[1:16:29] >> Thank you. My question was
also about reserves because I
[1:16:32] you been very good about
talking to us for years about
[1:16:36] needing to be fat back up in
the general fund because we
[1:16:38] depleted a lot of it
[1:16:40] building out this building.
[1:16:42] Where are we at? Are we just at
the amount that we need to keep
[1:16:47] the good bond rating. Do we
have any question at all.
[1:16:51] >> So we ended fiscal year 26
[1:16:54] adding to reserves. I'm going
to say is right around 700 or
[1:16:57] $800,000 between public safety
and general fund.
[1:17:03] We've been hovering right
around. I think yours is policy
[1:17:06] right now is 33%
[1:17:08] of your general fund budget.
We've been hovering right
[1:17:10] around there. So we're we're
close. We're not way off it,
[1:17:14] but we're not
[1:17:16] adding to reserves by some
large mountain. No basis.
[1:17:19] >> But to be clear, your advice
is that we do take that
[1:17:23] seriously and continue to
increase that amount.
[1:17:27] >> As our finance director.
Is that accurate? Yes, it has
[1:17:30] been my advice in the past.
It still this.
[1:17:32] >> Okay. Great. So I'm just I'm
crystal clear. The staff
[1:17:36] proposal is a $20 reduction in
the median homes,
[1:17:42] taxes, taxes just as its
stance.
[1:17:46] Okay. So the debate Council is
having is about $7.
[1:17:51] >> It's it would be 5th.
3 point o one Mills. 7 $1.90.
[1:17:55] Okay.
[1:17:56] >> I I guess for me. I'm I'm
thinking
[1:17:59] $7 to potentially solve all
number of future problems.
[1:18:04] They're going to be coming our
way
[1:18:07] makes sense to me. But I again,
I'm not going to go into the
[1:18:10] debates. We had during the
budget because, you know,
[1:18:12] we win some votes, we lose some
votes. But
[1:18:15] that's where and I'm sanaz.
[1:18:18] Mister Lee.
[1:18:21] Thanks, mayor.
[1:18:22] >> I got more reserves.
Questions for and
[1:18:26] see say 33
[1:18:28] percent is that or is that the
target we have.
[1:18:31] >> 33% of your general fund
budget expenses and currently
[1:18:35] we're at
[1:18:37] you're right around there.
That number changes each year.
[1:18:39] But it
[1:18:41] in round numbers. It's about 12
and a half million dollars.
[1:18:43] And I think you guys were
[1:18:46] probably 11.8 to 12.2 somewhere
in there and you're close.
[1:18:50] Okay.
[1:18:51] >> And then councilmember shot
a few questions I was going to
[1:18:55] but I will add to that
[1:18:57] last year we had 7, 8, 100,000
between public safety in
[1:19:00] general fund combined. Correct.
What did the budget say at the
[1:19:05] beginning of the fiscal year
ago. It was.
[1:19:07] >> Effectively 0. Everybody
spent every penny it would have
[1:19:11] added or used reserves.
[1:19:13] >> And can you give me
directionally that the prior
[1:19:16] fiscal year that we add to the
[1:19:19] reserves to remember.
[1:19:20] >> I don't recall. I'm like,
yes, by way of some history we
[1:19:24] have been adding to reserves
and
[1:19:26] used a significant portion to
acquire this building.
[1:19:31] And our reserves dropped
[1:19:33] very, very largely.
[1:19:36] And that was the year that
Moody's was asking what's going
[1:19:37] on here and that's an easy
explanation by building.
[1:19:41] But I'm not so easy when it's
[1:19:47] I know every department is not
going to spend every dollar.
[1:19:49] I don't expect that to happen
in 27. It never has happened
[1:19:52] but
[1:19:55] one adviser and good practice.
No thank you.
[1:20:00] >> Any other questions for
Mister is Mister Pittman.
[1:20:02] Do we have any potential GOP on
need.
[1:20:07] I mean, we're say just like
you're saying your credit score
[1:20:10] matters if you're actually
going to be buying the carpet
[1:20:12] or we actually looking at
anything that we would need to
[1:20:15] do that.
[1:20:16] >> Not that I'm aware of are
currently working on that.
[1:20:19] It will be up to you guys.
[1:20:22] >> It's nice.
[1:20:23] I think you're right. I think
when we can look at giving our
[1:20:27] citizens a $20 year discount
[1:20:30] reduction in their taxes and
the average. I think that's I
[1:20:33] think that's a win for them.
[1:20:35] And as mentioned, we have a lot
of things going out that we
[1:20:38] need in this community and this
to be kind of our help to
[1:20:41] County
[1:20:42] in some respects so that we can
fund that massive thing that
[1:20:46] there and have to do. And so
this community needs. So I I
[1:20:50] I'm all for supporting
[1:20:54] make an amendment to change
something to the to that
[1:20:57] effect. If someone makes an
amendment to you do it with a
[1:21:00] $20 refund.
[1:21:05] >> Just so that we're on the
same page.
[1:21:08] It's already a $20 reduction.
What they're talking about is
[1:21:11] $27 reduction, right. Is that
what we're talking about.
[1:21:15] So it's either too prone to
giving 20 if we vote for this,
[1:21:20] if we vote if you want an
amendment, you're going to say
[1:21:21] 27 instead of 20. That's the 2
options,
[1:21:25] right. And he has that when I'm
I'm correct. That's the way I'm
[1:21:28] understanding it
[1:21:32] anymore. Questions for
prisoner.
[1:21:35] >> Okay. It's time for public
hearing on item. Number 6.
[1:21:40] Does anybody would like to
speak to this item item.
[1:21:43] Number 6 on Lee. Please step
forward and
[1:21:45] take you 3 minutes
[1:21:51] seeing none
[1:21:54] will close the public hearing
period and has for a motion.
[1:21:57] And Mister Kennedy has a
motion.
[1:22:02] But I just want to make sure
that I'm correct on this.
[1:22:06] Then at this.
[1:22:11] What we have before us
[1:22:13] this resolution. Establishing
[1:22:16] is established.
[1:22:17] >> Currently at the
[1:22:21] at 2.9 5%, correct.
[1:22:25] >> The resolution that's before
you if passed. Will it be 236
[1:22:29] 6, 7, Mills, which would
generate 4.2%
[1:22:34] increase in tax revenue.
[1:22:36] You will need to amend the
motion
[1:22:39] to let the 233.6 6 Mills.
If you want to keep it that 2.9
[1:22:45] 5 effectively.
[1:22:48] >> I'm going to
[1:22:51] make a motion.
[1:22:54] The men this
[1:22:56] to be back at the 2.9 5%
[1:23:01] that we had looked down
[1:23:04] in this resolution.
[1:23:12] >> Actually Mister Kennedy.
We per that the first motion
[1:23:15] needs to be just a standard
motion. And then but offered a
[1:23:18] nation. So you too.
[1:23:20] You can offer an amendment at a
level that you okay.
[1:23:24] And offered a motion. Mister or
yes, question for Perlmutter.
[1:23:28] I
[1:23:29] miss talking
[1:23:34] make the amendment in the
motion and which clearly states
[1:23:38] that we're going to assess the
233
[1:23:42] 0.6, 6 Mills.
[1:23:44] >> Emotions that are provided
on your gender. Just suggested
[1:23:47] you can certainly make a
different motion. And and it
[1:23:51] can deviate, you can be more
specific about the Mills.
[1:23:55] One levee that it's ever.
[1:23:57] >> So Mister candidates want to
make them read. It makes the
[1:24:00] ocean. All right. All right.
So a scratch on Mister Kennedy.
[1:24:03] All right. Mister escalator
down here. Go ahead and
[1:24:05] stressed plan.
[1:24:07] >> Having a
[1:24:10] conducted a public hearing.
Consider written and spoken in
[1:24:13] public testimony to approve
[1:24:16] a resolution. Establishing
general transit Library in
[1:24:19] public safety. Fun, military's
for fiscal 27
[1:24:23] assessing them at the 233.6 6
Mills
[1:24:30] originally presented in our
budget.
[1:24:37] >> Mister Kennedy seconds.
[1:24:42] Is there any discussion
regarding the motion.
[1:24:46] All right. There any offered
amendments to the motion
[1:24:54] seeing none. We'll move then
too,
[1:24:57] a vote.
[1:24:59] The the motion
[1:25:02] by the is too approved. This
233.6 6 Mills for the upcoming
[1:25:09] budget year.
[1:25:11] All those in favor, please say
aye aye. All those opposed
[1:25:17] this show
[1:25:19] in this turn. Nice are in a
position. The motion passes
[1:25:25] that takes us to item number 7,
[1:25:28] public hearing. Go ahead.
Miss Bowman. I'm sorry.
[1:25:32] >> Public hearing resolution
adopting the fiscal year 2026
[1:25:36] budget amendment staff
recommends approval.
[1:25:49] >> Good evening, mayor and City
Council
[1:25:52] happy for you to clean up
amendments for fiscal year 26
[1:25:58] state law requires we have a
balanced budget
[1:26:01] and after based upon your
adoption. And then after
[1:26:06] closing out the year we 2 items
that were over budget.
[1:26:13] They are in the public safety
fund Fire Department was a
[1:26:15] $115,000 over budget
[1:26:18] largely driven by overtime and
increase costs for motor
[1:26:21] vehicle parts. Those young
budget and finance. Get monthly
[1:26:24] reports. I think you may recall
we were trending very closely
[1:26:28] with public safety. The fire in
the fire Department. But then
[1:26:32] at the end of the year when the
final assault our payments,
[1:26:36] it ended up going over
[1:26:38] additionally in municipal
court. There are some
[1:26:41] reimbursable grants municipal
municipal court Grant funds to
[1:26:45] clarify. There are some
reimbursable costs that were
[1:26:49] over there and and budgeted
for.
[1:26:53] So we are there are sufficient
funds
[1:26:56] to cover these expenses so that
should not be a concern.
[1:27:04] This also is a public hearing
and and would encourage you to
[1:27:10] consider adopting these
amendments.
[1:27:13] >> Thank you, Mister Zoeller,
Mister Boyett.
[1:27:16] >> Thank you. Mayor India says
in here that a 115,000 will be
[1:27:20] covered by revenues from the
bus
[1:27:23] with, you know what the
balances of that that I found
[1:27:25] it in the balance. Well, the
buses building annually.
[1:27:28] And I believe we it.
[1:27:31] >> We calculated early for the
budget process. Obviously.
[1:27:35] And then
[1:27:37] in about November will
determine what the actual
[1:27:39] assessment is. And I think when
we had determined the
[1:27:42] difference between the budget
and the actual assessment was
[1:27:45] about a 150, $275,000 more
[1:27:48] is the actual assessments based
on actual expenses and we don't
[1:27:51] know that till June 30.
[1:27:55] >> So there's the the bus.
The charge is higher than what
[1:27:57] was interest only we be looking
at the charges for the county
[1:28:01] in the future to see these are
accurate or we shouldn't raise
[1:28:04] or lower the charges.
[1:28:06] >> We determined the buffs, the
charges annually based on the
[1:28:08] formula between the agreement
which is actual Fire Department
[1:28:12] annual operating costs.
[1:28:14] They pay their proportionate
share relative to taxable
[1:28:17] value. So we do that every
year.
[1:28:22] >> Any other questions for
missus.
[1:28:28] And you you good that I'm good
you. All right. So just trying
[1:28:32] to get back to the screen.
[1:28:36] A public hearing over yet
[1:28:40] to get ready and is going to be
a bunch of folks freshman
[1:28:43] forward to her public comments
on the public hearing on item.
[1:28:47] Number 7, only
[1:28:49] any public comment on item.
Number 7.
[1:28:55] Well seeing none. We'll close
that and ask for a motion
[1:29:00] best lighter.
[1:29:02] >> I think that the public
hearing consider written and
[1:29:04] spoken public testimony.
A move to approve a resolution
[1:29:08] adopting the fiscal year 26
budget amendment as recommended
[1:29:13] by staff. Mister Boyett
[1:29:18] stressful later, anything about
your motion
[1:29:23] any discussion or debate
regarding motion
[1:29:26] seeing none.
[1:29:28] >> Well that's revote in all in
favor of mistress. Meyer's
[1:29:30] meant a motion, please indicate
by saying aye aye. Those
[1:29:34] opposed say no.
[1:29:36] That is unanimous.
[1:29:39] Congratulations, folks. 6.59.
We have finished with the items
[1:29:43] on the agenda.
[1:29:45] We are next scheduled for
public comment.
[1:29:49] It may be awhile. Would you
like to start with a quick
[1:29:52] recess.
[1:29:53] I will take a recess for 10
minutes
[1:40:40] and back to sport
[1:40:56] for the minutes. Please
[1:41:00] recognizing the stress and
lighters had to
[1:41:04] go to another meeting. So he's
you're no longer tonight.
[1:41:08] We're going to now open the
[1:41:11] the hearing up to public
comment on non agenda items.
[1:41:15] Speaker sign in is required.
[1:41:19] You may speak on items, not on
this pretty agenda. Comments
[1:41:23] are limited to 3 minutes.
So please sign a roster.
[1:41:26] And when you come up, tell us
who you are, where you live and
[1:41:30] take you 3 minutes.
[1:41:35] >> Okay. My name is Tessa and
I'm a teacher and mother here
[1:41:38] in Billings and I'm asking what
your last name to us Miller,
[1:41:42] thank you.
[1:41:43] And I'm asking you to consider
that Billings becomes a
[1:41:45] sanctuary city or has the bare
minimum. We use every lawful
[1:41:49] authority available to the city
to refuse voluntary cooperation
[1:41:53] with ice. I want to be very,
very clear about why
[1:41:56] feelings has a real public
safety issue. We have a roughly
[1:42:01] a 122,000 people. And there's
about 746 violent crimes per
[1:42:06] 100,000 residents that is going
on.
[1:42:09] And I'm I'm kind of skipping
around my notes here. But it's
[1:42:13] at this point
[1:42:15] we had this huge problem.
But then ice comes in and now
[1:42:19] the problem is that
[1:42:20] kids are getting kidnapped at a
backpack.
[1:42:24] Free backpacks and kids are
getting kidnapped there
[1:42:28] also
[1:42:29] I just don't understand because
now
[1:42:33] no matter how many times we've
said that we wanted to me and
[1:42:35] how worried that everyone is
about ice taking over and it's
[1:42:40] getting worse and worse and
worse because we've seen what
[1:42:42] happens in other cities.
It is going exactly happened in
[1:42:44] Billings that no one seems to
care. You guys seem to just
[1:42:47] twiddling your thumbs and
listen to us and latched to the
[1:42:49] side and everyone just giggles
because you guys think that
[1:42:52] were problems because we're
saying something and we're not.
[1:42:56] And I just really want to be
clear. What are you gonna do.
[1:43:00] What are you going to do when
history looks back at you guys
[1:43:03] and it's going to see that you
did nothing. It absolutely
[1:43:07] nothing to help save children.
[1:43:09] You did absolutely nothing.
[1:43:12] And all of us
[1:43:14] are going to be on the right
side of history. So I ask you
[1:43:16] like what side are you going to
be on. Are you going to be on
[1:43:18] the side that says there's
nothing we could really do
[1:43:22] or are you going to be on the
side that decides that you have
[1:43:25] a chance to change laws.
You have a chance to work with
[1:43:29] us. You have a chance to work
with the people who do not want
[1:43:32] Billings police officers to
work with ice.
[1:43:35] We've asked that at a bare
minimum. We know that their
[1:43:38] sanctuary city laws, you know,
in Montana that prohibit this.
[1:43:41] We're asking at the bare
minimum. Can you help us make
[1:43:45] sure that Billings police
officers are not cooperating
[1:43:48] with ice. That's the bare
minimum thing that you could
[1:43:50] do. Again, like I said, I'm a
teacher in Billings and there
[1:43:54] is a stick. My friend student
who is kidnapped.
[1:43:58] I'm not saying that lightly.
These are people who use
[1:44:01] aggressive forced to take these
children away. We can't just
[1:44:05] wait until it gets worse and
worse and worse like it is in
[1:44:07] other cities and know that you
guys can have side
[1:44:09] conversations and not pay
attention to. What I'm saying
[1:44:11] is you don't give a s***, which
is fine. But this is actually
[1:44:15] serious. And you know, this is
not a laughing matter. This is
[1:44:19] not the only cause problems.
This is a serious thing that we
[1:44:22] need you guys to help us with
this because when history looks
[1:44:26] back and they see the Gestapo
officers as ice agents.
[1:44:30] What are you going to do.
Because I know history. I'm a
[1:44:34] teacher. I know that this is
exactly 1939 Germany again.
[1:44:38] So I just want to be very
clear. I need to know you guys
[1:44:41] are going to to help us because
we will work with you and I
[1:44:44] wasn't this before, but I'm
p***** now because you guys are
[1:44:46] acting like its opinions.
It's not.
[1:44:53] >> Mayor. I'm going ask people
can't come up
[1:44:57] and just talk.
[1:44:59] And if they have to raise our
voices and start pointing
[1:45:03] fingers or whatever.
[1:45:06] We shouldn't be sitting here
listening.
[1:45:09] So I would just ask that we do
have a cordial speaking
[1:45:15] to the council.
[1:45:17] If not,
[1:45:20] I'm not going to stay around
for. Thank you.
[1:45:29] >> We have the rules here.
This is time for public
[1:45:31] comment. If you'd like to
speak, you're more than welcome
[1:45:33] to come up to the podium.
[1:45:37] Fortunately and with respect,
[1:45:39] we'd love to hear. We have to
say
[1:45:42] there are any other public
comment.
[1:45:47] >> Good evening. City Council
members. My name is Jennifer
[1:45:49] strong. I live in Ward 3.
[1:45:51] >> I want to thank you for
following our state laws
[1:45:54] allowing a law enforcement
officers to do their jobs.
[1:45:57] The sovereign nations within
our state already struggle with
[1:46:00] drugs and human trafficking in
large part because our federal
[1:46:03] law enforcement has no
jurisdiction. There are very
[1:46:06] little making Billings a
sanctuary city would make us
[1:46:09] know better.
[1:46:10] I want to thank you for not
engaging with Marxists. It will
[1:46:13] be said that the for us is not
a Communist organization and
[1:46:17] that may be technically true.
[1:46:19] But that is only because their
stated goal is communism by way
[1:46:22] of the means of socialism.
According to Karl Marx in com
[1:46:26] this manifesto, communism and
socialism. Really our only
[1:46:29] stops on the road to communism.
[1:46:32] Personally. I believe that the
very concept of race is a straw
[1:46:35] man and a social construct is
used utilized to divide
[1:46:39] manipulate and control people.
[1:46:41] That is exactly what the frs
and it's representatives are
[1:46:44] trying to do
[1:46:45] from the frs website about us
page under what is frs a state
[1:46:50] frs is a national organization
of revolutionaries fighting for
[1:46:55] socialism in the United States.
We're organizing the United
[1:46:58] Front against monopoly
capitalism.
[1:47:00] It marks the spot
[1:47:02] Sino in Marxist thought.
Capitalism can be defined as
[1:47:05] private property
[1:47:07] with the strategic alliance,
the multinational working class
[1:47:10] and the press nationality
movement at its core. This is
[1:47:14] our general strategy for
revolution in the U.S.
[1:47:18] for us is recruiting and
building toward the creation.
[1:47:21] The new Communist Party.
This is from their website
[1:47:25] based on marxist-leninist, on
furthermore on their statements
[1:47:28] page. There is an article
entitled frs salutes, the
[1:47:32] Communist Party of China on the
105th anniversary of its
[1:47:36] founding.
[1:47:37] It goes on to sing the praises
of a murderous dictator Mao
[1:47:40] Zedong,
[1:47:43] I think you've heard enough.
[1:47:45] Thank you. Have a nice evening.
[1:47:52] >> Any of the public comment.
[1:47:58] >> Good evening. Mayor Nelson
and council members. I'm not a
[1:48:02] member of the frs. I'm not sure
if that's relevant to our
[1:48:06] purposes here tonight. Speaking
to you,
[1:48:09] I'm personally. I speak in
support your name and where you
[1:48:12] live.
[1:48:13] My name is Katherine. Sure.
Let's I live here in Billings.
[1:48:16] I believe in Ward one.
[1:48:18] I'm here with the Billings
Alliance for immigrant rights,
[1:48:21] specifically
[1:48:23] requesting
[1:48:25] and agenda item for a sanctuary
state here in Billings. I'm
[1:48:30] particularly in the wake of the
recent attainment of a father,
[1:48:34] a drea de la Cruz and his 9
year-old daughter. I think as
[1:48:37] was mentioned at a school
supply drive.
[1:48:41] The girl and father were taken
to have her and then recently
[1:48:44] released from detention has it
was federally
[1:48:47] ruled that it was an illegal
search and seizure arrest and
[1:48:52] detainment.
[1:48:54] I'm concerned about the illegal
nature of
[1:48:58] ice agents conduct as we've
seen the precedent in
[1:49:01] Minneapolis before they act
extra digit judicially.
[1:49:05] They don't act in the best
interest of their community.
[1:49:08] I think later tonight we'll
hear some comments going beyond
[1:49:11] the legal and the moral and
even the economic the
[1:49:14] ramifications of the presence
of ice in our city.
[1:49:17] I don't think it's something
that's
[1:49:20] was in any way to try to sweep
aside, to not include on our
[1:49:24] agenda. I think this is
something that the public is
[1:49:26] interested and even beyond the
numbers we've been able to
[1:49:29] right here tonight.
[1:49:31] And I'd like to speak on behalf
of the members of our community
[1:49:33] who are afraid of being
targeted by the presence of
[1:49:36] ice.
[1:49:40] And if I have a little time
left.
[1:49:46] I'd like to remind us all of a
palm. I think maybe we've heard
[1:49:49] before.
[1:49:50] First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out because
[1:49:53] I was not a ju
[1:49:54] and they came for the Marxists
and I did not speak out because
[1:49:57] I was not a Marxist.
[1:49:59] Then they came for the trade
unionists and I did not speak
[1:50:02] out because I was not a trade
unionist and then they came for
[1:50:04] me and there's no one left to
speak for me.
[1:50:08] Thank you for your time.
[1:50:19] Hello. My name is Maisie jam
and I live about 3 blocks away.
[1:50:24] >> And I and the scene with the
bear alliance as well.
[1:50:31] And it's hard to think about
what to say when
[1:50:35] there's the fear of losing
families and children. Then
[1:50:40] it's a hard thing to compile
your thoughts and the 3 minutes
[1:50:43] of speaking. But if we didn't
come up here and exercise our
[1:50:48] rights to speak to you all.
Then it wouldn't be worth our
[1:50:51] time.
[1:50:52] I do believe that there should
be no ice in our city. I do
[1:50:56] believe and support the idea of
a sanctuary state.
[1:51:04] The most recent incident of the
ice is dealing with children
[1:51:08] who are getting ready for the
new school year.
[1:51:12] And there are going with their
families, too.
[1:51:17] Get school supplies and get
ready for their their new
[1:51:20] beginning and have it.
[1:51:22] He's ripped away from them and
to be prepared to
[1:51:28] go back to school with your
friends and just have the joy
[1:51:30] immediately taken away from you
[1:51:34] and to to be separated from
your family. And even if that
[1:51:38] they're both abducted. At the
same time there,
[1:51:41] they're not kept together.
And
[1:51:45] and I think that
[1:51:47] there's already enough orders
[1:51:50] of school.
[1:51:52] He's
[1:51:54] at minimum. There's just
anxiety about going to school
[1:51:57] and be in a public place like
that. But then
[1:52:00] the factors of all the school
shootings in
[1:52:05] there has to be a place where
children feel safe.
[1:52:10] And if it's not with your tag,
you want to get a backpack
[1:52:14] to go to school,
[1:52:16] then where is it can be
[1:52:18] if we let people like this
[1:52:21] and the ice agents in to our
city too.
[1:52:26] This place what
[1:52:29] but success we can give these
children.
[1:52:35] That's our future. We have to
give them as much support
[1:52:37] instability as we can. And I do
not believe that ice is that we
[1:52:42] that we do that.
[1:52:44] Thank you for your time.
[1:52:53] >> Further public comment.
[1:53:04] >> Hello, my name is Lane
Dorsey. I am a member of the
[1:53:08] freedom road socialist
organization. And I'm here with
[1:53:11] the Billings Alliance for
immigrant rights to demand a
[1:53:13] said. You please tell us where
you live. I live in Billings.
[1:53:17] I'm I'm here to demand a
sanctuary city and ice out of
[1:53:21] Billings.
[1:53:24] There's a lot of talk about the
courtroom
[1:53:26] and cordiality
[1:53:29] and we have
[1:53:31] cordial. We've come up here and
we've spoken to you
[1:53:34] impassioned,
[1:53:36] but we were cordial.
[1:53:37] We've reached out through the
proper forms. I believe I was a
[1:53:41] mark Nicholson who said that we
could e-mail and ask for it out
[1:53:45] for a meeting.
[1:53:47] >> We reached out 5 times but
never happened. And
[1:53:52] >> you can roll your eyes.
You can fall asleep at your
[1:53:54] seat. I see that Scott Aspen
minor left early. But we're
[1:53:59] going to keep coming back.
[1:54:01] We don't see this as a one-time
thing.
[1:54:04] We see this as we're in it for
the long haul.
[1:54:08] This will not be the last you
hear of us.
[1:54:11] We are here to demand. We're
not asking or telling.
[1:54:16] We're demanding a sanctuary
city so that everybody in the
[1:54:19] city of Billings is safe from
ice and Border Patrol terror,
[1:54:23] especially children.
[1:54:27] They got picked up
[1:54:29] at a backpack drives.
[1:54:31] Does that mean anything to you
[1:54:37] tonight bill Kennedy.
[1:54:38] So
[1:54:40] it's just it's just really
shameful that we come here and
[1:54:43] we we we have
[1:54:47] I was just being nice and it's
hit our community and it hit
[1:54:52] our state. Just just a couple
months ago
[1:54:55] in Bozeman 100 people
[1:54:58] kidnapped by Isis and Bill
Kennedy doesn't care. He's
[1:55:01] walking out just like Scott
asked might or dead. That's
[1:55:03] shameful
[1:55:06] Mike Nelson.
[1:55:08] When we asked if you would meet
with us, you said no, because
[1:55:11] you knew our demands. So you
don't agree with our demands.
[1:55:17] You got nothing to say. You
have plenty to say you've had
[1:55:19] plenty to say when it comes to
trying to shut down our freedom
[1:55:23] of speech.
[1:55:26] You got nothing to say about a
sanctuary city.
[1:55:29] All these people came here
asking for the same thing
[1:55:32] demanding the same thing
[1:55:34] and you got nothing to say.
[1:55:36] Does anybody have anything to
say,
[1:55:39] but a sanctuary city.
[1:55:40] How do you feel about a 9
year-old girl being kidnapped
[1:55:43] by ice and taken to a
concentration tap camp and
[1:55:46] Havre Montana. How do you feel
about that.
[1:55:48] Anybody want to
[1:55:50] give any kind of response.
[1:55:54] So you have plenty to say about
when it comes to shutting down
[1:55:57] our freedom of speech and
you've got plenty to say about
[1:56:00] our signs. You have absolutely
nothing to say about a
[1:56:04] sanctuary city.
[1:56:06] >> Shame on you.
[1:56:16] >> Good evening, mayor. Good
evening. Council. My name is
[1:56:18] Tony. Sure that some of the
2031 country Manor Boulevard.
[1:56:22] I'm not here is a rabble-rouser
and I'm not a revolutionary and
[1:56:24] I'm certainly not a Marxist or
Communist like those accused of
[1:56:27] earlier. I'm a mom of a child
who used to be so excited to go
[1:56:30] shopping for her school
supplies.
[1:56:33] So I come here today in
response to a child and her
[1:56:35] father being taken by ice at
United way school supply event.
[1:56:38] We cannot allow ice to
intimidate our neighbors.
[1:56:41] So I'm asking you respectfully
for the following
[1:56:43] protect our local resources.
I like to ask the council to
[1:56:47] prohibit city personnel, local
police and city owned or leased
[1:56:50] facilities to be used as
staging areas are holding zones
[1:56:53] for federal immigration
enforcement.
[1:56:56] I'm asking that we require
judicial warrants. I'm urging
[1:57:00] you to pass policies. Requiring
ice agents to present a warrant
[1:57:03] signed by an actual judge, not
just an administrative ice
[1:57:06] warrant before accessing
nonpublic city property units,
[1:57:09] municipal buildings.
[1:57:12] I'm asking for community trust
in public safety to be restored
[1:57:15] when immigrant residents live
in fear of local collaboration
[1:57:17] with federal agencies. They
stop reporting crimes. They
[1:57:20] stop acting as witnesses.
They stop seeking emergency
[1:57:23] medical care and they stop
sending their children to
[1:57:25] school.
[1:57:27] I'm asking for you to think of
our economic and social
[1:57:29] well-being families in fear
face disrupted daily routines
[1:57:32] affecting their children
affecting our schools, our
[1:57:35] teachers and you ultimately
[1:57:37] and I am asking that you
consider establishing believes
[1:57:40] as Billings excuse me, as a
sanctuary city and de-escalate
[1:57:43] the tension that is building in
our community.
[1:57:47] Catherine, still my poem.
So I will end by asking you to
[1:57:49] demonstrate your humanity and
tap into that part of you that
[1:57:52] believes in family values and
help us keep families together.
[1:57:55] But keeping ice, at least if
not off our streets at least
[1:57:58] within controls that you can
put in place to keep everybody
[1:58:01] safe. I thank you for your time
tonight.
[1:58:20] >> Hi, my name is Angela
debary. I live in the county
[1:58:24] just out on the creek Road.
[1:58:28] >> I'm here with support for
the Billings Alliance for
[1:58:32] immigrant rights
[1:58:34] and I oppose ice with
[1:58:37] every fiber of my being.
[1:58:39] It is horrifying to see kids
[1:58:42] being put into detention camps
[1:58:45] with no worries. These kids
have done nothing wrong.
[1:58:48] They're separated from their
parents who have also most of
[1:58:51] them have done nothing wrong.
[1:58:53] It is deplorable. We shouldn't
be supporting that.
[1:58:57] I'm sure you've all seen videos
of Philly with all of those
[1:59:01] children screaming inside.
[1:59:04] That's for affirming. I do not
want that here and you should
[1:59:07] not want that here either.
[1:59:11] I just I
[1:59:12] plead with you to do everything
that you can in your power
[1:59:17] to make sure the ice
[1:59:19] is actually following the rules
that they're supposed to do.
[1:59:22] If you allow them here, if you
agree to work with them
[1:59:26] actually keep them in check
because a lot of them by their
[1:59:30] own rules. They are not
following the law.
[1:59:33] And if you are going to allow
them to be here, then you need
[1:59:37] to hold them accountable.
[1:59:39] We can't be letting them
[1:59:42] murder. People in that people
like they're doing across the
[1:59:45] United States. It is horrifying
to see that. And I would hate
[1:59:48] to see it come to our city.
[2:00:07] >> Hello. My name is Lillian e
from Billings Montana
[2:00:11] and I stand in support of the
Billings Alliance for him to
[2:00:14] get rights for a sanctuary city
[2:00:17] just because that just because
the government is doing it
[2:00:20] doesn't mean human trafficking
is okay. Isis trafficking
[2:00:23] humans all over this nation to
concentration camps.
[2:00:44] My name is Brooke bigler.
[2:00:48] I live here in Billings and I
stand in support of the
[2:00:52] Billings Alliance for immigrant
rights demands for sanctuary
[2:00:55] city.
[2:00:56] I'm a mother and my heart goes
out to all the families
[2:00:59] affected by ice. My biggest
fear is losing my son.
[2:01:03] I grew up thinking our
government and public servants
[2:01:06] would be there to protect us
and especially our children of
[2:01:09] all
[2:01:10] that's not sure anymore.
And it's terrifying. I will do
[2:01:13] whatever it is to protect to
protect our children. We were
[2:01:16] not. We will never stop
fighting protect our community
[2:01:19] and immigrant families. We
cannot just ignore the terror
[2:01:22] and injustice. Justice is
happening here in our country.
[2:01:26] And I fear the ones who do
support or ignore the domestic
[2:01:29] terrorism going on in our
country have no moral compass
[2:01:33] or backbone. Thank you.
[2:01:45] >> My name is Andrea Wulf.
And I live here in Billings and
[2:01:49] I as well and the mother and
then.
[2:01:52] >> A member of this community
then on the pga's and
[2:01:56] volunteered for years and
[2:01:59] the woman that said that, you
know, we don't want predators,
[2:02:02] meaning immigrants are
predators somehow when in fact
[2:02:05] we have 404 active sexual
assault. People on in Billings
[2:02:10] alone. And guess what, they
were
[2:02:14] white men
[2:02:17] and then also on the
interactive at it now. And now
[2:02:20] a size or an outsider
[2:02:23] and wiser excuse me really
nervous United States
[2:02:27] sentencing Commission is 70%
white men that or the sexual
[2:02:32] assault.
[2:02:34] You know the predators
[2:02:36] we're we're focusing and where
we're worried that they're
[2:02:39] predators,
[2:02:40] they're the people that you are
funding
[2:02:43] the to all of
[2:02:45] Oliver infrastructures building
houses. Who's going to do that
[2:02:48] for me.
[2:02:50] We bring in all sorts of
produce from Mexico. I'm a
[2:02:53] produce
[2:02:55] manager and take care of the
produce department in so much
[2:02:59] of it is coming in from Mexico.
How many of you have gone to
[2:03:01] Mexico lately.
[2:03:03] You go into their country for
vacation. You don't want them
[2:03:06] here. Why are they coming here?
[2:03:08] Why are they coming here
[2:03:09] to escape persecution and
oppression and
[2:03:12] violence in their own
countries. We are founded on
[2:03:16] bringing in the grants us.
Should they do it legally?
[2:03:18] Of course, the cheetah legally.
But if you are running away
[2:03:22] from criminals and and violence
in your own country and you
[2:03:26] needed to get away and take
care of your children. What
[2:03:28] would you want people to open
their doors.
[2:03:34] I think you guys are just
plain. Absolutely plank and
[2:03:37] heart us. It feels it's scary
[2:03:40] and it does feel like not see
Germany.
[2:03:44] I'm terrified
[2:03:46] cream. Ice to speak.
[2:03:49] Thank you for my kids future.
Why don't why are you worried
[2:03:52] about your kids future. What's
going to look like.
[2:03:55] We've got data center screen to
come in here. It's poisoning.
[2:03:57] Our environment, ruining our
environment, our water system.
[2:04:02] We've got
[2:04:05] FOX. We need more surveillance.
We don't need or surveillance
[2:04:08] city. We need is a sanctuary
city.
[2:04:11] What has happened to everybody?
What is literally happen if you
[2:04:14] are all Christians. I am up
shocked. If you're Christians.
[2:04:19] Absolutely shocked because you
are to invite
[2:04:23] the foreign in your to sit at
that table with him and break
[2:04:26] bread with them and
[2:04:29] share your your wealth, not
hoard your wealth
[2:04:33] and not to exclude
[2:04:36] she that's absolutely
disgusting. What is going on to
[2:04:40] know that there are children
committing suicide because
[2:04:43] there are so terrified they're
going to be arrested and
[2:04:47] separated from their families.
[2:04:51] I I just cannot even understand
any.
[2:05:11] Thank you. Just one 2nd.
[2:05:29] >> Hello. I'm
[2:05:31] there we go. At my name is 8
and a black Island in Billings,
[2:05:35] Montana.
[2:05:36] >> And I am a 4th generation
American on my father's side
[2:05:41] and on my mother's side, I have
been here. My family lives been
[2:05:44] here for about 250 years.
I the first member of my family
[2:05:48] emigrated here from Scotland
[2:05:51] and not only was was he a
working member of our country
[2:05:56] fun. But he with George
Washington. He fought on the
[2:06:00] Delaware. He fought to make
this country what it is.
[2:06:04] And while it's flawed,
[2:06:06] I think he would be appalled
that there were at I think
[2:06:08] every founding father would be
[2:06:11] because if you go back in
history,
[2:06:14] everyone came here
[2:06:16] from somewhere else. Legally
illegally facing prosecution or
[2:06:20] not. They came here because
they wanted to create a
[2:06:23] different opportunity, a
different life for themselves
[2:06:25] and their families
[2:06:27] and
[2:06:28] Montana. I see so many signs
him. And this is the last great
[2:06:31] place. Be kept this place as
natural and free and safe for
[2:06:36] people.
[2:06:38] And now more and more people
are trying to come here and
[2:06:40] stir homes. They want to work.
[2:06:43] They want to have land. They
want to be a part of our
[2:06:47] communities. And instead of
helping them.
[2:06:51] All you're doing is turning a
blind eye and letting them go
[2:06:55] missing.
[2:06:57] So many people vanish year and
no one. Here's you might see a
[2:07:02] missing child poster if that
when it comes to the matter of
[2:07:06] ice detention. Where did those
kids go? Are they ever reunited
[2:07:10] with their families,
[2:07:12] their families in the U.S.
their families in Mexico
[2:07:15] wherever the f*** become
missing from
[2:07:18] the vanish and no one seems to
care.
[2:07:22] And at the end of the day,
someone has to
[2:07:25] you guys. Sit here with the
ability to create safety
[2:07:28] measures to genuinely keep
people safe. I think people go
[2:07:31] on a scene doesn't make them
safe.
[2:07:34] Creating better access for
housing, for schooling, for
[2:07:38] people to get their citizenship
[2:07:40] to learn different languages.
That's how you keep people
[2:07:43] safe.
[2:07:47] And frankly,
[2:07:49] we are at a plant in history.
Just as it always is for things
[2:07:53] are chaotic and terrifying and
you're for. They spent all
[2:07:57] these moral dilemmas in.
You're asked what are you going
[2:07:59] to do about it.
[2:08:01] It's easy to turn off your
phone. It's easy to say I don't
[2:08:04] care. I have other things to
worry about. But at the end of
[2:08:07] the day, this is that what you
have to do to sleep at night to
[2:08:10] avoid yourself of your basic
humanity.
[2:08:13] If people go looking for your
family, for your friends and
[2:08:18] no one can find them only find
out they were detained by ice.
[2:08:22] What will you do. What will you
do? Want to goes beyond
[2:08:25] immigrants, but will it do when
it comes to literally everyone
[2:08:27] who is that what the president
believes. He won through this
[2:08:30] country.
[2:08:30] [MUSIC]
[2:08:36] >> You know the rules. We know
there's no applause here.
[2:08:39] There's not even snapping
[2:08:41] K. It's a First Amendment
issue.
[2:08:44] You might make other people
uncomfortable. I've explained
[2:08:47] that before.
[2:08:48] And I really don't think that I
should have to explain it
[2:08:51] again. Is there further public
comment.
[2:08:55] All right. Seeing none. We'll
close that part of the meeting
[2:09:01] and open it up to Council
initiatives. Are there any
[2:09:04] Mister Pittman?
[2:09:05] >> Yeah, Marin County. I'm not
sure if this needs to be a
[2:09:07] council initiative or if I can
just work with staff. But what
[2:09:11] I would like to do is add a
disclaimer at the public
[2:09:14] comment on non agenda items
that explains why we sit here
[2:09:18] in don't engage that it's that
there is a notice issue.
[2:09:22] So we're not standing sitting
up here just like looking.
[2:09:26] We can't answer your questions.
And so I would like to put some
[2:09:29] kind of a disclaimer. So the
public understands what's going
[2:09:32] on protocol behind it, that
it's their time to speak.
[2:09:35] It's our time to listen to and
that we can to engage back and
[2:09:38] forth. And so that the
allegations that we just sit
[2:09:41] here. What blank faces is
because we cannot respond to at
[2:09:45] a public meeting. So I don't
know if that needs to be an
[2:09:48] initiative or I guessed
illegal. Can we just work on
[2:09:52] some disclaimers is kind of
explaining to the public,
[2:09:54] the protocol and and some of
the parameters on around which
[2:09:59] we do public comment.
[2:10:01] >> Councilmember Goodman staff
would be happy to look at that.
[2:10:04] And thank you. Thank you.
[2:10:14] >> Is there any thing else for
the council.
[2:10:17] Is there any objection to
adjourning
[2:10:21] seeing none. We are adjourned.